DORTMUND: Marco Reus has called on Borussia Dortmund to write history on Tuesday as the Bundesliga leaders attempt to turn around their Champions League tie at home to Tottenham Hotspur.
After losing 3-0 to Spurs at Wembley in the first leg of the last 16, Dortmund face a monumental task against Mauricio Pochettino’s team at Signal Iduna Park in the return fixture.
Only three clubs, Barcelona, Roma and Deportivo La Coruna, have ever managed to progress in the Champions League knock-out phases after losing the first leg by three goals or more.
“I think there have already been some games in the stadium where history has been written — we can do it,” said Reus, Dortmund’s top-scorer and captain who missed the first leg with injury.
“But we need a top performance and have to score at the right moment.”
Dortmund will be at near full strength, with only wing-back Lukasz Piszczek sidelined by injury
Spurs were the last team to win a Champions League game at Dortmund, in November 2017, when Son Heung-min and Harry Kane scored in a 2-1 group stage victory.
After Reus’ defiant words, Dortmund head coach Lucien Favre offered a more modest perspective.
“We know that it’s going to be difficult, but you never know,” said Favre.
Signal Iduna Park has seen some big nights in Europe, most recently when Atletico Madrid were routed 4-0 in the group stage last October.
And no Borussia fan could forget Poland striker Robert Lewandowski, now at Bayern Munich, scoring all of Dortmund’s goals when Real Madrid were routed 4-1 in the semifinals in 2013.
However, the home side must bounce back from a dreadful run of results to have any chance of overhauling Spurs.
Having crashed to a shock 2-1 defeat at strugglers Augsburg in the Bundesliga on Friday, Dortmund have just one win in seven games.
After four weeks out with a thigh injury, Reus says he is ready, and could even play the full 120 minutes if they force extra time.
“I feel good, it was clear I wouldn’t play the 90 minutes against Augsburg,” said Reus, who managed 66 minutes in Friday’s defeat.
“But we’ll see how tomorrow goes, I am ready — ready to go for the 120 minutes.”
Having been nine points ahead of Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga in December, Dortmund’s lead has eroded and Bayern drew level on 54 points at the weekend.
Dortmund only top the table on goal difference, but a win over Spurs — regardless of whether the Germans progress — would be a huge boost to confidence.
“We are very dissatisfied with the current results,” said Reus.
“We have to show more of our mentality and then we’ll get out (of the current low) again.”